The House of Blues has created various distinct atmospheres over the years — an EDM dancehall tricked out with glow sticks, a mecca for headbangers and punks, and even an awards show highlighting the best in Boston’s scene. But seldom has it been a gathering place for bluegrass fans eager to kick up their cowboy boots.
The closest thing Boston has ever had to a bluegrass community might be Loretta’s Last Call down Lansdowne, but when the right act rolls into town, fans come out of the urban woodwork to enjoy the imported southern goods. And that’s what they did last night (January 26) for The Devil Makes Three.
To be fair, The Devil Makes Three were crystal clear about their intentions from the start; “Ain’t noboby leaving until the bottle is done,” lead singer and guitarist Pete Bernhard sang in “Man Tap,” the second song of their performance. The lyrics later turned out to be a grand understatement. When the band did finish their set more than an hour-and-a-half later, the bottles-knocked-back per capita in the audience was far more than one, or more than anyone wanted to see reflected in their tab.
Canned country is corny; that’s why so many people hate it. But when performed live (and done well), the tin-y tweaks of a banjo sound less like redneck music and more like musical joy, and the fiddle sounds less like a whine and more like a masterful art. Therein lies what distinguishes The Devil Makes Three from every other folksy band trying to cash in on the latest musical movement (the group’s 15 years in the game doesn’t hurt their reputation, either). Even if the twang of the band’s quick pickin’ rubs you as outdated or lame, their lyrics won’t; songs like “I’m Gonna Get High” have titles that speak for themselves.
With a vaudeville-style velvet curtain draped behind them and string lights flickering over their heads, the band transcended back to a time when uttering bluegrass as your genre of choice wasn’t seen as laughable or pretentious. The unmistakable scent of tobacco enhanced the saloon-like environment of inebriated Northerners with Duck-Dynasty-level beards trying to square dance.
While more traditional themes seeped through at times (see: the rustic charm of “River Deep”), the band kept the “deep south” tropes to a minimum. On the contrary, sandwiching songs like solemn waltz “The Angel of Death” and string serenade “Jobs and Family” into the same set proved their catalogue — and bluegrass in general — to be far more versatile than it’s usually given credit. Songs from their 2016 release Redemption and Ruin peppered the night with freshness.
From the blunt lyrics to the overall lively hums of their instruments, the band fleshed out a full set of bluegrass in a far more stimulating light than the genre is usually given. If someone can’t find a reason to enjoy The Devil Makes Three live, then that person probably just don’t like having a good time.
Featured Devil Makes Three photo by Victoria Wasylak. Follow her on Twitter @VickiWasylak.